NEW DELHI: Giving details about Indian Mujahideen's plans to intelligence agencies, Ahmad Zarar Siddibappa alias Yasin Bhatkal has claimed that IM operatives, especially Tehsin Akhtar alias Monu, would target foreign tourists in Rajasthan, Delhi, Maharashtra, Goa and other states. The IM members would also attack Jews, especially tourists from Israel, Yasin claimed, according to a top official.

Yasin was arrested in August from Pokhara, Nepal.

According to sources, Yasin claimed the IM was closely associated with al-Qaida and was working to distance itself from ISI. "The passion (among IM leaders) for fighting in NATO forces in Af-Pak region by becoming part of al-Qaida and distancing from ISI are some of the new trends in the IM based in Pakistan, which is also leading to a split of the outfit," Yasin told interrogators.

To the surprise of Indian agencies, Yasin disclosed that Mohammad Sajid (Bada Sajid), who was involved in the Delhi 2008 serial blasts and was present in Batla House, is fighting in FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) region in northwestern Pakistan. "He (Bada Sajid) was even wounded in the fight there," Yasin said.

Yasin was friends with Bada Sajid, Atif Ameen and Chota Sajid, members of the IM's Azamgarh module, and had made bombs initially with them for Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Surat blasts in 2008. Bada Sajid fled India after the Batla House encounter, in which Chota Sajid and Ameen were killed.

Yasin told intelligence officials that the "conflict and bickering for change in the command of IM is apparent". He gave names of IM members who are having ideological differences with the outfit's leadership in Pakistan. "The group comprising Afifi alias Mota Bhai, Sultan, Safi and Farhan are upset about activities of Iqbal Bhatkal," he told agencies.

The hawala transfers for IM were done from Dubai by one Abdul Wahid Khan, Yasin claimed.

During his custody in NIA, Yasin had given primary details of IM's association with other terror outfits including al-Qaida. Giving an account of his conversations with Riyaz Bhatkal, he said, "Riyaz talked of going on a tour to meet al-Qaida and that he wanted to discuss about the journey. He mentioned that he couldn't go to TTP (Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan) and that he will join hands with al-Qaida. He explained that there were two types of Taliban - one was of Afghanistan and the other of Pakistan. All in Pakistan were supporting the Taliban of Pakistan. Al-Qaida was also supporting the Taliban-Afghanistan. But the Taliban of Afghanistan talked only about Afghanistan and not about other places. Riyaz said they (Taliban-Afghanistan) had their priorities in Afghanistan. He said Taliban of Afghanistan were clear that they would not let their land to be used against others."

Yasin claimed Riyaz told him that they (IM) would be under the al-Qaida and that he was going to Waziristan.